Thursday, October 26, 2006

Stanley's Apartment

Above: This bedroom is full Above:Through this room and to the right is another room that is full to the ceiling . The folded wheelchair belonged to another East Village legend , movie actor Reno Thunder . Above: Dog collars and leashes

Of the four rooms in Stanley's apartment one can stand on the actual floor in only one . Two of the rooms are so full of Stanley's collected possessions that they can not be entered without climbing to near the ceiling . The dilapidated , crumbling water closet is so full of "stuff " that the door barely opens making it impossible for someone my size to enter. Stanley's apartment ,wonder that it is , is too full and is a fire hazard . Stanley can't quite explain how it came to be so full of stuff but it is and the Department of Adult Protective Services is going to help Stanley remove the excess and thus recover for his use his apartment .

This apartment has been Stanley's home for many years ,he lived here with his mother and father , and most of the accumulation has probably occurred relatively recently . As was written earlier , Stanley doesn't quite understand how things got so out of control .

Stanley has been in the East Village most of his life , he was born here . His family ,when he was very young , lived in a building on Ave. B that was located where another wonder of the East Village , Eddy's tower , stands today in the 6 and B garden . His family moved to where he now lives many years ago . His parents have since passed on leaving Stanley and his two dogs Taras and Tiberious the occupants of his apartment .

For the time being Taras and Tiberious are being boarded at a not-for -profit dog kennel in the country while Stanley sorts out his apartment problems . Stanley misses his two dogs and since Stanley with his dogs is a regular sight in the neighborhood , it is strange to see him in the neighborhood walking without his dogs .

Stanley's landlord claims that Stanley owes considerable back rent as well as having a stuffed- too- full apartment . His landlord is probably asking for more back rent than is actually owed but for the purpose of harrassing Stanley , as big a claim as possible is being made . Stanley must thus go to housing court to settle the rent issue : he needs a lawyer . He has yet to find one that will help him make his case though the Department of Adult Protective Services and the Legal Aid Society may eventually be able to provide Stanley with the necessary legal assistance .